LUFTWAFFE RIFLE/SHOTGUN NOT COMMONLY KNOWN FACT

[Gil Boyd]

Thought I would show this M30 NAZI J.P. Sauer & Sohn manufactured combination issued to
air crews who might land in inhospitable places and needed it to survive.
Not many were made and probably accounts why I never heard of it, especially as it was fitted with a high quality scope as well..
Its currently advertised by Simon Pemberton on Highwood Classic Arms, a really nice piece
at what is a good price for such a rare beast and a definite for a collector!!

M30 Luftwaffe Survival Drilling
Nazi J.P. Sauer & Son
Serial No 337592
Calibre 12 Guage / 9.3mm


The M30 Luftwaffe Drilling was a superb, commercial-grade longarm possessed of two upper 12-gauge shotgun barrels and a lower barrel chambered for the long, tapered 9.3x74 mm R sporting cartridge.
The rifle/shotgun combination provided a downed aircrew not only with a self-defense gun but also a hunting arm should they be stranded in inhospitable territory.

Manufactured by Suhl, Germany, maker J.P. Sauer & Sohn, this combination gun was built to exacting standards and, in fact, was basically just a “militarized” version of one of the firm’s popular sporting arms. We use the term “militarized” loosely, for there was virtually no attempt to skimp on quality. Possessing blued barrels of Krupp Lauftstahl, the action was tastefully case-hardened and engraved. A beautifully finished walnut stock featured checkering at the wrist, fore-end and cheekpiece. .

The M30 broke like a top-lever shotgun and employed a Greener-style crossbolt. It had two triggers. To fire the rifle barrel, one pushed forward on a tang-mounted selector switch. This automatically raised a 100-meter rear sight notch. The forward single-set trigger fired the rifle barrel and the rear trigger the left shotgun barrel, which was intended primarily for Brenneke slugs. By returning the selector to its rearward position, the right shotgun barrel could then be discharged with the front trigger. A safety switch was mounted on the left side of the stock behind the receiver .

As well as the Sauer & Sohn markings and proofmarks, the drilling had Luftwaffe eagle insignias stamped in the stock and on the barrels.
Of course, one couldn’t expect such an elegant arm to just be casually tossed inside a cockpit or cargo area unprotected.

Originally, some 4,000 M30s were ordered from Sauer & Sohn, but apparently only 2,456 were actually delivered in 1941 and 1942.

A rare example not often encountered in the UK, like most of these rifles it has had the external Nazi marks removed, but all hidden markings are still intact as is the Luftwaffe inspectors stamps.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[WarPig1976]

Another brilliant idea of Fatso Goring.....

[browningautorifle]

Fatso Goring.

You of course know he was head Jager in Germany for a decade, wrote many hunting laws that still stand. He was a true gun guy too, even carried a S&W M&P when he was captured...

A nice gun for sure to amble the English countryside after being shot down...

[mrclark303]

You of course know he was head Jager in Germany for a decade, wrote many hunting laws that still stand. He was a true gun guy too, even carried a S&W M&P when he was captured...

A nice gun for sure to amble the English countryside after being shot down...

I wonder if it was also issued with a stick on mustache (not the dodgy Hitler/Charlie Chaplin type),monocle, a set of tweeds and plus fours, for the Country Gent escape and evade disguise kit....

---------- Post added at 06:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 PM ----------

Another brilliant idea of Fatso Goring.....

That's not fair Warpig, he had an eating disorder .... "Head in the pig trough syndrome"

[Gil Boyd]

eating disorder.............its called stuff your face as much and as often as you can. He was heard to say......................................

"In Zat vay my rifle vill sit in the fat of my shoulder, and I vil feel no recoil. Vee are berry clever in deutschland"

On a serious note, that means that this very rare rifle could be sat in the wreckage of downed German bombers still buried under English Countryside, and if they are in a hardy leather case they may have survived in tact...............Gotten Himmel!!

[mrclark303]

Thanks for sharing Gil, totally new one on me I have to say. Fascinating piece.

[browningautorifle]

On a serious note, that means that this very rare rifle could be sat in the wreckage of downed German bombers still buried under English Countryside, and if they are in a hardy leather case they may have survived in tact

Another treasure for us to search out then...along with the Burma Spitfires... I'd love to see one of these though.

[WarPig1976]

I’m sure in his Morphine addicted brain this made sense. That doesn’t mean it was the best option or the cheapest for that matter to serve as a defense/hunting arm. I think it shows Göring’s hubris which makes these a fascinating piece of WW2 history.
Ian at Forgotten Weapons on YouTube has a video on one of these Drilling’s. I’ll post a link when I get home.

[WarPig1976]

As promised and to add to Gil's post.

[RCS]

My photos shows the following cartridges:

Left: RWS 8x72R, Brenneke 8x65 RS, 9,3x72N, Norma 9,3x74R and 11.2X72

Luftwaffe drillings used the 9,3x74R cartridge which may still be factory loaded

(but there could have been other calibers too)Attachment 93462